A space shuttle is a reusable spacecraft that is specifically designed to transport people and cargo from the Earth's surface to the space station and back. It has been the backbone of all major space missions by the United States. With the advancement of technology and exploration, the need to have different synonyms for the phrase "space shuttle" has been increasing. Some of the words that can be used synonymously with space shuttle are spacecraft, rocket, shuttle, orbiter, space vehicle, explore craft, spaceplane, and many more. Each synonym describes a specific feature or attribute of a reusable spacecraft used for space exploration. The right choice of a synonym depends on its context and desired effect.